


The Cat Outside

by Yrindor



Series: Sports Anime Shipping Olympics 2016 Fills [51]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cat Kozume Kenma, Developing Relationship, M/M, Prompt Fic, SASO 2016, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yrindor/pseuds/Yrindor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo's never thought of himself as much of an animal person, but when a stray cat starts coming by his door, he can't refuse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Cat Outside

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sports Anime Shipping Olympics 2016 Bonus Round 4. The prompt was:
>
>> "Please at least meow so I know you aren't dead."  
> -Texts From Last Night

Kuroo had never really thought of himself as an animal person, but when a small cat started coming by his door late one summer, he couldn't help but leave food out for it. He didn't know much about cats, but even with his limited knowledge, he could tell this one was painfully small. It was a yellow tabby with a black spot on the top of its head and black paws; it had no collar, and there didn't seem to be anyone out looking for it either.

At first the cat had been very shy, hiding under the bushes whenever he opened the door. After a couple of weeks though, it stopped hiding as frequently, and it would even let him pet it as it ate. Putting out food for the cat after work became something of a habit, and though he would never admit as much, he found himself looking forward to the time they spent together.

No matter the weather, the cat was always waiting by his door when he got home, so when it wasn't there the first cold night of the fall, he couldn't help but worry. He set food out like usual and sat on the doorstep for several hours before the freezing wind finally forced him back indoors. The next morning, the food was still sitting untouched outside the door.

For the next several days, Kuroo continued to set out food every night, and he brought the untouched plates back inside every morning. He had nearly given up hope when, a week later, he heard a weak meowing coming from under the bushes. He knelt down and saw the cat curled up under the branches. Its fur was matted with dried blood, and it was holding one of its legs awkwardly as if it was broken.

Kuroo swore. "Will you let me help you?" he asked. "I promise I'm not trying to hurt you." He slowly reached into the hollow where the cat was resting and picked it up as gently as possible. It cried out as he accidentally jostled its leg, but it let him remove it from its hiding place.

Cradling the cat in his arms, he hurried to the animal hospital down the street, then paced nervously in the waiting room for hours until the vet finally came out with a small animal carrier. They had done everything they could the vet said, but there was no guarantee the cat would survive. They sent Kuroo home with several medications and instructions to keep the cat warm, quiet, and as comfortable as possible for the next several days.

He took the rest of the week off from work and spent his days coaxing food into the cat's mouth and trying to keep it comfortable. At night, he slept beside it on the couch, waking every time it meowed.

By the third morning, he was beginning to despair. Despite his efforts, the cat didn't seem to be getting any better. If anything, it seemed to be doing worse. When he woke from his fitful sleep before dawn and stroked its head gently with his thumb, it didn't even respond.

"Please at least meow so I know you aren't dead," he begged, not noticing as his tears fell into the cat's fur.

Despite his best efforts, he fell back asleep with his hand still resting by the cat's head, but when he woke up, there was a person next to him where the cat had been. Startled, he scrambled upright and looked at the stranger, a boy who looked to be only a couple of years younger than he was. He was confused until he noticed the boy's hair, and then everything fell into place.

The boy smiled shyly. "You saved me," he whispered, his voice hoarse as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

"What happened to you?" Kuroo asked.

"I was cursed," the boy replied softly. "Cat or human, no one likes the runt of the litter."

"I'm sorry. Do you have a name?"

"Kenma," the boy whispered.

"Will you stay, Kenma?" Kuroo asked.

The boy nodded and curled up with his head in Kuroo's lap, falling asleep as Kuroo ran his fingers through familiar blond hair.

**Author's Note:**

> [Kiyala](http://kiyala.dreamwidth.org/) wrote a great fic telling this from Kenma's POV [here](https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/16335.html?thread=7701711#cmt7701711).
> 
> As always, comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated.


End file.
